Keep Your Cool This Summer by Avoiding These Home Cooling Myths

July 16, 2015
By
Roth Heating & Cooling, Plumbing & Electrical

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Keeping your home comfortable during the summer in Portland can be costly,
especially if you follow some of the commonly believed myths about more
efficient cooling. Here are five of the most common home cooling myths,
as well as the facts dispelling each.

A Larger Air Conditioner Improves Cooling

If the system in your home was sized properly at installation, but it’s
not cooling effectively, it’s likely in need of maintenance, which
includes cleaning the evaporator or condenser coils, replacing the air
filter and checking the coolant levels. Upgrading to a larger model will
result in a system that cycles off when it reaches the set temperature,
then back on when more cooling is called for. This constant cycling is
inefficient, costing you more money, and leading to frequent maintenance
and premature failure.

Turning the A/C Off When Leaving Wastes Money

Many people believe that it takes more energy to cool a warm home than
it does to leave the A/C on while you’re away. The truth is that
anytime the system is running, it’s using large amounts of energy
— far more than cooling down your home when you arrive. To save
money and remain comfortable, install a programmable thermostat and have
it lower the temperature about an hour before you’re due home so
that it’s cool when you arrive.

Lowering the Temperature Cools Your Home Faster

Turning the thermostat all the way down won’t cool your home any
faster, as the air conditioner has a set amount of cool air it can generate
at any time. Additionally, if you forget to reset the thermostat, you
may end up wasting money.

Air Conditioners Only Cool the Air

In addition to cooling air, air conditioners also remove humidity, which
makes you feel comfortable at a higher temperature.

Fans Help Cool a Room

Fans only help to circulate the air, making you feel cooler by evaporating
sweat faster via the wind chill effect. Using fans in an empty room wastes energy.

For more information about these common home cooling myths, talk to the
HVAC experts at Roth Heating & Cooling.